12/23/2025
The challenges of another christ-mass is upon us.
I personally do not celebrate christ-mass, not anymore.
I was raised primarily Lutheran and christ-mass had an important role to play in that demonination although it is just the celebration of another form of catholic mass, which it took me a while to unravel.
But this year I don’t want to talk about the should we or shouldn’t we celebrate part of the challenge, but rather on ridding ourselves of old vices.
Vices are just bad habits we know are unhealthy for us but we continue to engage in them and enjoy them. There are many vices from alcohol to promiscuity, from greed to sloth.
There are various forms of Christianity in the world and at a certain baseline level they all tend to become judgmental of those outside their denomination, hence the reasons they are in this denomination and not that other one.
People find baseline reasons to belong to one organization of believers rather than another.
In my short time on earth, sixty plus now, I have discovered that the only unifying principle that really unites us in the Messiyah’s body, is truth.
That’s it.
It’s not about the Bible, or the stories, or the commandments, or even Yahshua Himself.
It’s truth.
And the truth, the truth is difficult, far more difficult than we want to believe it is.
It can seem easy to be outspoken and honest, to be prayerful and praiseworthy, but to walk truthfully in the light of the path He has created for us, challenges our core beliefs, teachings, values and prejudices.
We aren’t perfect. None of us are. So this truthfulness, this honesty is hard for sinners.
When we preach to others about releasing their vices, letting go of sins they embrace and enjoy, it might seem easy for us to let go - and we don’t fully comprehend how difficult it is for them to let go.
Come on, it’s easy. Just let go.
When a rich young man in Scripture asks Yahshua what he needs to do to gain eternal life, Yahshua gives him the “religious” response. Do this and that as written in the Bible and you’re good.
But the rich young man pushed him further, so Yahshua gave him the difficult answer, the one he wasn’t ready for.
If you really are serious about following Me, sell all you have, give to the poor, and come with me.
Of course, we know the young man walked away because he wasn’t ready to surrender this vice even for Yahshua Himself.
Now I want to talk about christ-mass.
It’s not a true holiday. Yahshua never instructed us to celebrate His birth. We don’t know what day is actually His birthday.
Christ-mass is a holiday created by a sinful power-hungry organization on a day already being celebrated by others. They stole many of what they labeled pagans traditions to give meaning and purpose to this holiday. It’s a lie. Everything about it is a lie.
What can people who are sworn to upholding truth find good about a lie?
And now the challenge, if Yahshua Himself said to you, Stop celebrating christ-mass and follow Me, would you? Could you?
Most christians go through their lives never changing religiously, never growing spiritually. They are taught to respect their elders and religious leaders and follow the traditions handed down to them. That’s baseline Christianity. That’s where most Christians live.
But Yahshua Himself was a rebel. He told them that their leaders and their traditions were not correct. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the light.
That made a lot of believers really mad.
When you tell people you don’t celebrate christ-mass, they often get mad at you.
Why?
I think it’s because deep down in their hearts, in their spirits, they are feeling judged by your presence and testimony. They know it’s not you judging them. I don’t judge anyone for celebrating. What bothers them most is, they know the truth, and this lie is a vice they want to maintain because it makes them feel good and it’s tradition. People feel safe in traditions.
But walking with Yahshua and the truth is not an easy or safe way to go.
That’s where you have to believe that Yahweh is your Shepherd and He will see you through.
Helping people rid themselves of christ-mass corruption is liking helping an alcoholic to stop drinking. You can’t help them until they want to be helped. They have to see something deeper within themselves that wants to go the way of the uncomfortable truth rather than the way of mortal comfort.
That thing deeper inside is the light of the Messiyah. Only He can do the saving. I can plant. I can water. But only Yahshua can make the seed grow.
Selah Amen
